A mystery Oxford University don is putting a lost painting by Sir Winston Churchill up for auction, after finding it in a dusty attic where it had been left untouched for decades.
The anonymous professor discovered the impressionist landscape wrapped up in a bin bag, but decided to sell the unsigned picture because he didn’t like it.
He then took the oil painting to an auction house, only to be informed that the portrayal of the first home lived in by The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh after they married had in fact been painted by the wartime Prime Minister.
Sir Winston’s landscape depicts Windlesham Moor, a luxury mansion near Ascot, Berkshire, which is now worth in excess of £60 million pounds and owned by Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum of the United Arab Emirates royal family.
Auctioneer John Dickens said that the retiring professor had asked him to sell the painting, before adding that there was a story in the family that it might have been painted by Churchill.
Churchill in the attic
“It had been in his attic for about 30 years,” said Mr Dickens.
“The owner’s mother apparently told him, ‘Winston Churchill painted this. It was given to me and I’m giving it to you.'”
Trying to explain why the work had lain untouched for so many years, the auctioneer added, “I think it’s generally easier to fall in love with something you know the name of.”
“The owner, who I believe is in his late 50’s and terribly shy, said he didn’t like the picture so I suppose it is understandable why it should be uncovered for so long.”
“To be honest with you, I think he’s rather embarrassed about the whole thing.”
Months of research confirmed that the portrait had indeed been painted by the former Conservative statesmen.
It is believed to have been painted in the late 1930’s rather than the 1940’s, as it is beleived that Churchill didn’t paint very much during the war.
“it’s definitely his”
“It’s certainly Winston,” said Mr Dickens. “It has all of the usual hallmarks: water and stone arches, a notable residence – it’s definitely his.”
The 37-year-old auctioneer has now valued the portrait at approximately £150,000 pounds, but expects the estimate to be well surpassed at auction.
“It is without doubt the most exciting piece I’ve come across in 10 years in this business,” he said.
“The estimate could be a little light, especially as Churchill works have risen steeply in value over the last 10 years but I won’t particularly mind if it goes for more.”
Churchill is widely known to have been a keen artist, first taking up a paint brush to stave off the “Black Dog” of depression following his resignation as First Lord of the Admiralty, after the failed Dardenelles expedition of 1915.
A date for the sale of the picture has not yet been set after a previous auction had to be cancelled due to technical difficulties.
